Two years ago, the NFL accepted the decision to block Tom Brady’s suspension pending the outcome of his litigation. This time around, the NFL has opted for a more aggressive approach regarding the ruling that blocks Ezekiel Elliott’s suspension.
The league has filed an “Emergency Motion for Stay Pending Appeal,” which specifically requests a decision by September 19 and no later than September 26.
The earlier date would take Elliott off the field for the Week Three game against the Cardinals, if the motion is granted. The later date would start the suspension in Week Four, against the Rams.
The stay would allow the suspension to be enforced while the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit considers whether to overturn the ruling that delays the appeal.
The league’s primary goal seems to be putting the issue of jurisdiction before the appeals court, hopeful that the appeals court will find that the entire case should be dismissed because it was filed too soon, before the federal judge in Texas rules on the issue of whether the case should be dismissed.
Ultimately, the league hopes to secure the dismissal of the Texas case, with the lawsuit the league filed in New York then taking precedence. Based on the eventual outcome in the Brady case, the league believes that it would quickly win its New York case.